Hygrothermal aging effect on physical and mechanical properties of carbon fiber/epoxy cross-ply composite laminate

• Published in: Materials today : proceedings Vol. 28; pp. 940 - 943
• Main Authors: Behera, Alok, Thawre, M.M., Ballal, Atul
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.01.2020
• Subjects: CFRP; FTIR; Hygrothermal; SEM; Tensile strength; Hygrothermal; SEM; FTIR; CFRP; Tensile strength
• ISSN: 2214-7853; 2214-7853
• DOI: 10.1016/j.matpr.2019.12.329

Fiber reinforced composites used in aircraft and marine industries lead to critical environmental factors like high temperature and humidity. This work investigates the physical and mechanical response of hygrothermally aged IMA carbon fiber/M21 epoxy CFRP cross-ply composite laminates. The Vacuum assisted resin transfer moulding technique was employed to fabricate two symmetric laminates with a constant fiber volume fraction of 59%. The CFRP laminates with stacking sequence [0, 90, 0, 90]2S and [0, 90]2S were immersed in tap water at 70 °C for more than 6 months up to saturation. The effect of high-temperature submerged environment on the chemical and physical property was determined by the kinetics of moisture absorption rate, FTIR, DSC, and SEM analysis. The mechanical characterization of moisture aged and virgin sample was carried out using tensile test along with post-test failure analysis by SEM micrographs. The moisture absorption followed a typical two-stage model where diffusion rate was increasing proportional to square root of immersion time followed by a sluggish phase up to saturation. The DSC result showed a significant variation in glass transition temperature after aging. SEM micrographs of aged specimen illustrated a matrix dominated failure attributable to fiber-matrix interfacial degradation which finally resulted to a major strength reduction of laminates.